Michelle
Alvarez
Medical Massage Therapist
Michelle is a medical massage therapist specializing in injury recovery, joint mobilization,posture correction, and pain management from but not limited to the following:
- Scar Release (c-section scars, surgery, etc.)
She provides a thorough body assessment and intake to help customize the therapy session to fit thegoals of the patient. Using several massage techniques such as assisted stretching, PNF, deep tissue,trigger point work, myofascial release, orthopedic massage, musculoskeletal alignment, contemporarysports cupping, and Gua Sha, just to name a few.
By adding cupping into her manual therapy, the decompressive suction from the cups are able to rapidlyfacilitate rigid soft tissue release, loosen and lifts connective tissue, breaks up and drains stagnationwhile increasing blood and lymph flow to the skin and muscles in a way that is not possible usingcompression techniques.
Gua Sha (Gua meaning scrape and Sha meaning redness) is similar to cupping in results, but a round-edged tool is used in strokes to pressure specific areas of muscle pain allowing her to really pinpoint areas of restrictions. Some discoloration can occur from the release and clearing of stagnation, adhesions, and toxins from the body. The reaction is not bruising, but the cellular debris, pathogenic factors, and toxins being drawn to the subcutaneous layers for dissipation by the circulatory system.